Did you know I have been going after a massive highstreet chain for copyright infringement since June 2012? Yup, that’s true! Just before the Olympic Games last year Leanne tweeted me a picture of a poster in the company’s flagship store in Westfield Stratford Shopping Center saying ‘OMG this looks like you, Maria‘. When I saw the picture I was just like ‘eerrr, thats because it IS me!‘ – it showed a poster on every till in the store with 4 pictures from this post, that I blogged 3 months earlier!!!

So I asked Kellie and Leanne to keep quiet and check back regularly check back and only 38 days later (so all the way into the Olympics) the posters with my pictures disappeared.

Since then I’ve been dealing with the infringing company through a no-win-no-fee company (who tricked me and originally set out a charge of 25% of any money recovered and then changed to 40%) and only recently the infringing company finally accepted the settlement offer we made, which means I’m having a good chunk of money coming my way!!! Just shows that even big companies don’t shy away from using pictures on the internet without any sort of permission!

This has been going on for almost a year now that I’ve been spending countless days and nights thinking about what I would do with that kind of money that I’m now about to receive. There are so many things I want, but I’ve been raised to handle money sensibly, which I regularly fail at, so at least a third of the money will go into Lodz‘s savings account which I can’t access (talk about trust, eh?!) and another third will go to my parents to have a lovely summer holiday with. But then the rest will be mine muahahah :)

Here’s what I would by – I might change my mind, but who knows, my plans fluctuate with my mood every day haha.

1. DKNY Rose Gold Watch from SWAG – While the blogging world goes on and on and on about Michael Kors watches I’m thinking ‘pah, this DKNY one looks the same but is so much cheaper!’ why spend more when I can get the same for less, right? So if I’m buying a watch – and I’m not really a watch person to be honest – it would be this one.

2. Red Ankle Strap Heels from New Look – I’m in love with that boyfriend jeans rolled up and ankle strap heels look. It’s so perfect for the summer, not that I could pull it off with baggy jeans making me look like a midget. But a girl can dream and so I would still buy these heels haha.

3. Crochet Jumper from Pure Collection – White is such a beautiful colour in the summer, because it makes everyone look more tanned than they actually are. We’ve been lucky to have lots of sunshine over the last few days, so I’ve been making sure to get a good tan. I can’t believe how many pictures I’ve seen on my Instagram timeline though with people having bad sunburns!! Yes sunscreen is expensive, but still. I even turned around and went back into the flat today because I’d forgotten to apply my sunscreen!

4. Leather Laser Cut Skirt from She Likes – Not quite sure whether wearing a black leather skirt is a good idea in this heat, but I just really like the look of this skirt! Guess I could wear it in colder days too with some thick tights underneath, right?

5. Floral Parka from Boohoo – While I’m not going to any festivals this year (I don’t like buying expensive festival tickets without knowing the line-up with seems to be the norm now) but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the festival fashion, right? Are you going to any festivals?

6. Wave Engraved Plectrum from NotOnTheHighstreet.com – This wouldn’t actually be for me, it’d be for my dad. He’s a professional musician and is celebrating his 50th anniversary of being a professional musician this year. This plectrum has an engraved sound wave on one side and then on the other side I’d get “I’m with the Band” engraved haha. My dad is a bassist and actually doesn’t use plectrums as far as I know, but it would be a quirky, nice gesture I think :)

7. Green Mini Shopper from Zara – I’ve been seeing this cute bag popping up into many wishlists and my girl Victoria actually has this one in orange, which is so gorgeous! I’d love to get that one, but it seems to be sold out in all the Zara stores I checked, so I gotta make due with this green one!

8. White Blazer from Internacionale – Gotta have a white blazer, right? I’ve got a blazer in blue, mint green, yellow, coral and black, I just need a white one now, even if I run the risk of ruining it almost immediately! This is the cheapest I could find for £20 after checking all sorts of websites.

What would you do if you found a company is using your photos without permission and without credit? Would you go after them or be too scared to take them on? What would you buy if you did and you won?

42 Comments on “Wishlist • Copyright Infringement Damages”

It is! Just some final documents and then that’s that! Of course no chance with them changing their minds back from 40% to 25% but what the heck it doesnt seem worth the money (which is probably exactly why they did what they did)

i just wanted to share this so others if they feel like they’ve been wronged, stand up for that. most bloggers dont earn a living with their blog, but their hard work & time still goes into their pictures and they’re their properties and should be remunerated for that in some way. and if a company doesnt do that they should pay. thats what the copyright laws are for.

Glad you do. Some people are saying I shouldn’t discuss this on my blog, because it could put other brands and potential employers and whatnot off, but I don’t care. If someone is scared away with this post that just means for me that they’re dodgy and have something to fear. :)

Kiss Magazine in Ireland used one of my street style photos without my permission. I attempted to contact them, but they ignored me. I didn’t have the money to pay for legal aid. I have been feeling bitter about it ever since.

If it was in a printed magazine then you definitely have a case, with pictures used online on other sites, you have to ask them first for removal and if they then dont do it then it is a case of copyright too. there’s a company that does no win no fee that way you wouldnt be out of pocket? happy to help hun x

Maria, I’ve had a company use my pictures for ages. I’ve got in touch with them and their Pr and they say it is not them – BUT I’ve found websites using MY image! They’ve deleted them from Facebook etc when I had a go but still on the site <_<

Babe if youve asks themto remove all pictures and they don’t do it you have every right to clam damages. Let me know if you want my help obvs I’ve got the contacts now and all the letters that were sent so that might help?

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Oh my! Fall already? Here along the central coast of California, we are still waiting for our late, late summer! I am just now picking a few small tomatoes from my garden! I am enticed by the Triple Tomato Soup and may have to use tomatoes from the farner’s market!

money traders don’t see more dollars on offer, or they do not want to sell more the rate does not go down. It may be that the US rates are driven by Bernankes remarks and not his money injections (which you assume are absorbed by the banks), but it does seem that the FED can influence the amount of dollars on offer.

That’s crazy! You’d think a big brand like that would be able to get some decent shots themselves (bit of a compliment though, they must think your pictures are fab!). Love everything you’ve picked out here, enjoy that money! Danielle / http://www.DKD-Designs.blogspot.com xx

They do have their own department for this, but clearly didnt make use of it or didnt think i would find out! Get this, I was meant to be in Westfield that day when the posters went up and I got that tweet from my friend! IMAGINE MY RAGE LOL

What assholes! It takes 5 minutes to email you and ask if they can use the pictures, with credit, and I’m sure you’d have been more than happy, but even if not, thats your choice and they could take their own damned pictures!

Good for you for taking them on. I’m so sorry the no win no fee company ended up diddling you too but at least you’ll be getting something and you’ve stuck it to the big guys and shown they can’t walk all over the little people :) Enjoy that money lady! xx